The Violent Resistance to the Trump Presidency

If the Nov. 8, 2016, election of Donald Trump did anything, it proved how irrelevant the Democrat Party has become. Not only is the party of the elite out of touch with the political views of everyday Americans, it is also out of touch with common civility that is exercised in the modern political game. Hillary Clinton’s devastating campaign inspired her supporters with the idea that our democracy can be negotiated through the use of bullying and violence. From the moment Clinton accepted defeat, the movement to undermine Trump began.

The use of violence and chaos by Democrat supporters while claiming the mantle of moral superiority demonstrates the hypocrisy of calling Republicans “fascists”. The left-leaning grassroots organizations are seeking a return to the days when opinions are suppressed by the use of violence and intimidation. At the schoolyard and in the streets of America, this is also known as “bullying”. This use of bullying has done nothing to slow the Trump agenda and is actually damaging the Democratic party brand. The desperate use of intimidation further alienates the public from the Democrats and erodes faith in its ideals.

America has endured a number of protests, marches, and riots in the wake of the Trump election. One may notice a general pattern of apparently “peaceful” protests disrupted by anarchists and hooligans who purportedly have nothing to do with Democrat leadership. Are these anarchists really unaffiliated with the Democrat party? Their motives may not be so pure as they align with the Democrat’s long term political strategies.

Here is a list of organized protest events against Trump, so far:

#NotMyPresident Riots in Portland, Oregon

In the aftermath of the Trump election, protesters took to the streets of major cities across America, proclaiming their “#NotMyPresident” catchphrase to demonstrate their discontent of the election. In Portland, a 4,000 person protest shortly turned violent. Rioters dispersed among the non-violent crowd threw objects at police, smashed windows, blocked streets, and beat on cars. Police were forced to treat the protest as a riot and employed riot control methods, such as pepper spray. Police purportedly made 26 arrests.

Fires burned as protesters lit cars and trash aflame in resistance to the peaceful transition of power

#DisruptJ20 Inauguration Violence

Nothing is more American and democratic than Inauguration Day, which is why the Democrat party used the #DisruptJ20 movement as an attempt to intimidate Americans on this patriotic day. Supposedly peaceful protesters gathered in the streets of Washington, DC to chant chants and wave “Peaceful Revolution” signs. However, a number of mask wearing vagabonds sprinkled among the protesters quickly resorted to violence and intimidation. Among the bill of damages: smashed windows, damaged cars, and threats of violence. Multiple protesters spray painted violent slogans such as “Revolution or Death” onto city walls. Eventually, police deployed pepper spray to disperse the offenders. Police were able to arrest several of the individuals, but many escaped. Those arrested now face felony charges for thier lawless actions.

Women’s March – “Express Yourself”… With Violence

Not all threats of violence come from anonymous black-clad professional rioters. Even high profile names such as Madonna, have brought intimidation to the political table. During the Women’s Rights protest following the inauguration, Madonna expressed her thoughts of “blowing up the White House.” Despite much backpedaling from the comment, the Secret Service took note of the threat. The decision to prosecute now rests with the U.S. Attorney’s office.

While the crowds were large and events numerous, the women’s marches were mostly peaceful around the country. The messages of the marches ranged from reasonable requests of equality to obscene gestures and signs that would make most women cringe.

Immigration Temporary Ban Airport Protests

Among the backlash from Donald Trump’s executive order to temporarily stop immigration from seven nations known to supply radical Islamic terrorists included protests at airports. In order to express their discontent, protesters flooded to airports where foreign nationals from the affected nations were held. On the whole, the protesters held civility and did not cause more than minor annoyance. Protestors at the Port of Portland, however, resorted to violence against counter-protesting Trump supporters. One individual was taken to the hospital afterward for medical treatment due to wounds sustained during the clash.

Free Speech Suppressed at UC Berkeley

In the world of academia, freedom of speech is incredibly important. However, we have seen an assault on free speech at colleges and universities across America in the wake of the Trump election. A prime example is the violence and intimidation used to stop a presentation by conservative commentator Milo Yiannopoulos. An outspoken right-wing activist and Breitbart editor, Mr. Yiannopoulos was slated to speak on conservative issues at UC Berkeley in Berkeley, California. The University, famous for its decades-old protests that hailed free speech was suddenly ground zero in the fight against any speech that did not support left leaning ideology. Faced with organized and violent protesters, the university canceled the event. Violent protestors assaulted members of the university Republican club, threw explosives at authorities, and set objects ablaze using Molotov cocktails.

The hypocrisy of the intolerance of free speech, however disagreeable, left a stain on the ideals supported by the UC Berkeley.

Education Secretary Betsy Devos attacked by protesters

Attempted Physical Assault on Education Secretary

Angry at the selection of Betsy DeVos as the U.S. Secretary of Education, protestors prevented the Secretary’s entry into Jefferson Middle School Academy in Washington, DC. Protesters, standing in a tight knot in front of the school entrance, would not allow DeVos to physically enter the building. Choosing to take the high road, Secretary DeVos chose to leave the scene. The local teachers union and Black Lives Matters groups organized the protest that led to a assault that almost knocked down the newly sworn in Education Secretary.

No matter how upset the teachers union may be about their loss of power in the public school sector, denying the one person whose job it is to improve the education system the ability to visit public schools is unacceptable. Kudos for the few democrats who condemned the bullying tactics of these well-funded groups.

What is the Point of the Anti-Trump Protests?

In the wake of Clinton’s epic loss, a serious plan to undermine President Elect Trump went into overdrive. Spontaneous protest popped up in Portland, New York and many other cities with access to left-leaning grassroots organizations. Freeways were shut down and property was destroyed. Later, attempts to blame the Russians for Clinton’s loss led to a failed recall attempt supported by her former campaign. Celebrities were called in to convince electoral college electors to illegally switch their vote. When that failed, a last minute attempt to prove the election was hacked led to the Department of Homeland Security getting caught red-handed performing unauthorized penetration tests of multiple states’ election systems before the inauguration.

Each attempt to undermine the credibility of the incoming president was designed to weaken his ability to lead, creating an opening for a democratic party resurgence in the 2018 midterm elections and eventually retake the White House in 2020. These protests are an attempt by the party that is out of power to bully their way back in through the use of violence and intolerance of free speech. Cries of impeachment even lead House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D) to soften her stance on Trump and clamp down on the out of control party narrative.

Democrats argue that the protests are a natural uprising and response to Trump’s policies. These ‘spontaneous’ protests have themes, usually clever hashtags and a social media campaigns with secrecy levels that mimic a covert operation. These protests are organized by groups like Socialist Alternative and other left-leaning groups that seek to undermine the current government. Less than a century ago, these types of operations would have been investigated as anti-government insurgencies and violent threats to American democracy. Now they are praised by alt-left fake news carefully spread across social media.

The result of the protests are starting to backfire on the Democrats. The cost of violence and intimidation to further a political mission is twofold for the democratic party. First, Americans look unfavorably on intimidation as a methodology for political persuasion. The use of violence and intimidation does nothing but make Americans turn their back on the party and discount their ideals. Second, there is a monetary cost associated with hiring professional community organizers to organize masked protesters to disturb the peace and intimidate the public. While the Democrat party does not officially hire goons to carry out political intimidation, the money is likely sourced from wealthy benefactors who have stake in the political future of the Democrat party.

Meanwhile, the daily faux outrage at every minor detail of the President’s activities is creating fatigue amongst the ranks of those whose lives may be improved by a government set on actually accomplishing is goals.

Regardless of the noise created by coverage of these organized anti-government protests, many of the executive actions taken by President Trump remain very popular with the majority of the electorate. When the purpose of the protests is to sway public opinion against the Trump administration and Republican party, you can expect more of this childish schoolyard bullying to continue.

Until the American public finally cries foul against theses lawless tactics and rallies behind its embattled President, the resistance will continue its futile attempts to undermine Trump.